Lenscape 2025, Ghana’s new photography festival, has been launched with a strong focus on elevating visual storytelling and giving photographers greater ownership of their narratives.

Festival Director Salomey Gyamfi said the initiative seeks to expand visibility and critical discourse around photography, positioning it as both an artistic form and a cultural archive.

“This inaugural edition expands visibility and critical discourse, presenting photography not just as art, but as a powerful medium for preserving and reimagining memory, identity, and everyday life,” she said at the launch on December 1.

The festival, described as the first of its kind dedicated to landscape and visual storytelling, features works across Nature, Culture and Heritage, Fashion, Identity, and Surreal Expectations.

The curators selected 18 photographers from more than 20 submissions, with women making up 80 per cent of the final exhibitors — a milestone organisers say reflects growing inclusion within the creative sector.

Co-curator Assumpta Dickens of Omege and Co. explained that the selection focused on stories rooted in Ghana’s lived experiences, heritage, and evolving cultural identity. She said the festival offers photographers a platform to shape how Ghana is seen at home and abroad.

Lenscape 2025 also attracted strong support from industry stakeholders. Upplause Consulting highlighted the festival as a timely intervention, noting that photography has long struggled for visibility despite its role in documenting Ghana’s social and cultural progression.

Tech partner IPMC announced an 800,000-cedi scholarship package to support emerging photographers, bridging the gap between creative practice and digital innovation. Fashion brand Woodin also unveiled a t-shirt design competition, with a 10,000-cedi cash prize and a chance for the winning design to be featured in a special collection.

Photographer Nathaniel Ayetey described the event as a boost for creatives working in less-recognised genres, particularly fine art and conceptual photography. He said Lenscape finally gives such artists “a platform to be seen, valued, and celebrated.”

By spotlighting storytelling, representation, and professional growth, organisers believe Lenscape 2025 will contribute to strengthening Ghana’s creative economy while building a deeper appreciation for photography as a tool for cultural memory.